The U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office confirmed Wednesday that it has opened an inquiry into Olympus Corp. (7733.TO) after receiving information from the Japanese camera maker's ousted Chief Executive Michael Woodford over the group's attempt to hide investment losses.

"We can confirm we have opened an inquiry into Olympus and are liaising with other organizations and international colleagues following information given to us by the Olympus CEO," the SFO said in a one-sentence statement emailed to Dow Jones Newswires.

Woodford provided the SFO information on Oct. 17 and 19, a spokeswoman for the organization said.

Olympus last week admitted it had covered up investment losses from the 1990s and then tried to clean up its books with four acquisitions totaling near $3 billion.

-By Lilly Vitorovich, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-0-207 842 9290; lilly.vitorovich@dowjones.com